


The City Gates

by SargeantWoof



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Bisexual Zuko (Avatar), Confusion, Developing Relationship, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Lack of Communication, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Minor Sokka/Suki, Multi, Past Mai/Zuko (Avatar), occasionally
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:01:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26814034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SargeantWoof/pseuds/SargeantWoof
Summary: Entering into a relationship is hard when it's the Fire Lord, the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, and the potential future chief of the Southern Water Tribe.
Relationships: Sokka & Suki & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Sokka/Suki/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 98
Collections: ATLA Polyamory Fics





	The City Gates

It's at the end of the war when Sokka realizes that he has no idea what he wants to do.

"You could go back to the Southern Water Tribe?" Suki offers one night shortly after the comet. Sokka doesn't say anything, turning to look out over the houses and walls of the Fire Nation. He's not sure how to say it, but he's suddenly struck by the fact that of all the things he could do, he doesn't want to go home.

Though, he admits, that's not quite right - he does want to go home. He wants to see Gran-Gran, and Pakku, and even the children he had tried to train. He just doesn't want to go home and get stuck, doesn't want to turn around one day and realize that he's spent his life in one place after saving the world.

And, he thinks privately to himself, that's not even considering what Suki wants to do. If he were to go home to stay, would they break up? Would they stay together and just spend months and weeks apart? Would it even be worth it at that point?

"I don't know if that's best," he says instead, shifting back to face her, his eyes serious and settled in the way that they have been since the war was won. She scrunches her face at him, sticking her tongue out when he grins at her. "And besides," he continues. "I will, eventually, no matter what."

"I know," Suki responds, reaching out to catch his hand, her fingers warm against his skin, her face open in the torchlight. "Family is everything for you."

***

Zuko doesn't say anything in the days that pass after his coronation, but Sokka overhears two servants gossiping in the halls about how even as the Firelord, Mai still didn't want him. Sokka pauses in what he's doing, considering.

One on hand, Zuko could be prickly about things like this, blowing emotional shifts out of proportion, and refusing to talk for days. One the other hand, he had been a great listener when Sokka was talking about Yue, and break-ups always suck, especially when they happen to someone instead of being a mutual decision. Not that mutual decisions don't suck, Sokka acknowledges, it's just, not as much.

He shifts from one foot to the other, fidgeting for a beat before sighing and turning to head to Zuko's room. He wishes Suki was with him as she would know what to say. Instead, it's just him- him and all the incredibly wrong things he could say.

He gets to the door, pausing again to shift in front of it before knocking. Zuko's voice bids him to enter, the tone softening at the end when Sokka pokes his head in.

"Sokka," Zuko says, his face surprised but his eyes warm. "What is it?" He looks panicked suddenly. "Is it-"

"No," Sokka says, looking over his shoulder, before taking a deep breath. "Listen, I have something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh," Zuko says, his face blank, glancing down at the papers in front of him before setting them aside. "Sure?"

Sokka comes into the room, making sure to latch the door behind him. It suddenly is imperative to him that this goes well, he realizes. He turns around, pastes a bright smile on his face, before realizing that would probably give Zuko the wrong idea. He groans, dropping into the seat in front of his desk and burying his face in his hands.

"Sokka?" Zuko says, his voice tentative. "Are you okay?"

Sokka breathes out once, nods to himself, and looks up, staring directly into Zuko's eyes. "Am I okay?" He repeats. "Zuko." He pauses, "Are you okay?"

"What?" Zuko says, his face confused. "Yes, of course, I'm fine - wh-why? Should I not be?" He glances around, clenching his fist. "Is something going to happen?"

"No!" Sokka says, rocketing up from his chair, and waving his arms around. "No, are you okay?" He places emphasis on the okay, dragging it out and raising his eyebrows.

"I'm fine," Zuko repeats, still tense but relaxing, staring at him. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh," Sokka says, flushing. "Uhm, no reason, I guess."

"No reason?" Zuko frowns. "What's going on? Are you distracting me from somethi-"

"IheardthatyouandMaibrokeup," Sokka blurts out, before dropping his eyes and sighing. "I heard that you and Mai broke up and I wanted to see if you were okay, and you just kept repeating you were fine and looking around and nothing else was going to happen." He squints his eyes at Zuko's gobsmacked face. "Nothing is going to happen, right?"

"No," Zuko says faintly, sitting back down. "Nothing's going to happen." He sighs, looking pained. "I didn't tell anyone about Mai and I because I figured you all had enough on your plate." He rubs the back of his neck, looking embarrassed.

"Huh," Sokka says, his face crinkling up as though he was working on a puzzle. "I guess that's okay."

Zuko huffs out a laugh, as Sokka hides a smile at the tiny flame which flickers out of his mouth. "I didn't realize the Fire Lord had to tell you everything," Zuko teases.

Sokka rolls his eyes, relaxing back into his chair. "That's what friends are for," he says, quirking a smile at Zuko. "Duh."

"Duh," Zuko echoes back softly, his face alight with wonder.

***

Zuko feels the way the ocean has always felt to Sokka, he realizes one day. Vast and mysterious, with layers and a whole system of its own, but home. He pauses in his stretches with Suki, freezing at the thought.

"Sokka?" Suki prods, her voice sliding from teasing to serious as she realizes something's happened. "Are you okay?"

Sokka waves a hand at her, before flushing, confusion painted across his face. "I'm fine?" he says, his voice going up at the end, the tone evident that he is not fine. She narrows her eyes at him, her face falling into the stern Kyoshi Warrior aura she wears so well. Sokka shrugs, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just, I realized something," he says, turning from her prodding gaze to face the window.

She hums beside him. "And?"

"And some stuff just clicked into place," he says faintly.

"Does it have anything to do with Zuko?" Suki says after a beat, her tone dry. "Because that whole thing has not been subtle." Sokka spins to look at her, terror painted across his face. She laughs softly. "It's fine," she says, patting him on the chest. "You're not the only one." She turns back to her stretches, Sokka nodding beside her.

It is only when they have gotten half-way through that her words register with him. "Hang on, you like him too?"

She laughs, effortlessly bringing her leg to her head and holding the position for two counts. "Yeah," she says as her leg returns to the ground. "He's Zuko."

***

Katara throws the door open, her face set in stone. "I'm taking him," she says to Suki who grins at her in response. She snags his shirt, towing him behind her, ignoring all his protests.

"Ka-Katara," he splutters as she yanks him up a flight of stairs, bringing the two of them onto the balcony that overlooks the inner courtyard. "What's- what's going- is something wrong?" He settles on, as she shoves him down onto the cool stone. He gives her a look when she doesn't respond, bits of his panic seeping through.

  
She sighs after a moment, the tenseness leaking out of her. "Is this what you want?" She asks, looking out over the duck pond and the gleaming red roofs. "A life here? Away from ho- the pole?"

He frowns at her. "I don't understand."

She wrinkles her nose at him, groaning. "I knew you were going to bad at this," she mutters and Sokka tries not to feel offended. "Fine," she huffs out, glaring at him. "If this is how you want to play it- that's fine." She stands, brushing nonexistent dirt from her clothes. "I'll be going then."

"Hang on," Sokka says, snagging her wrist when she turns to leave. "You need to explain this for me." He tugs her down beside him again, ignoring the look on her face and the way she rolls her eyes at him. "What are you even saying?" He says after she's stopped twisting around beside him. "Seriously, I have no idea what you want from me."

"You-" she cuts herself off, the anger fading, her face becoming more open. She squints at him, bringing her knees up and wrapping her arm around them before she sighs, low and long. "I thought you were hiding it from me," she says, tucking her face between her knees. "I thought that you didn't want me to know."

"Katara," Sokka says gently. "I have no idea what you're trying to say."

She looks at him for a long moment. "Zuko," she says finally. "I was- I am- talking about Zuko."

Sokka blinks at her. "If that was supposed to clear things up for me, well, it didn't." She stares at him. He shrugs, ignoring the faint rush of blood to his cheeks. "I don't know what is happening," he finally says. "I'm just- here."

"Suki?" Katara whispers, unfolding a little bit. Sokka nods and then shrugs again, scrunching his face up. "But- so, all three?"

Sokka frowns. "More like two, at least right now, I think."

Katara closes her eyes, breathing in deeply. "You sure know how to pick them."

Sokka shrugs for the third time, hopeless and fond. "They chose me, I just stood there."

Katara snorts. "You're good at that," she says, ignoring his squawk of outrage. She grins at him, fully unfolding from her curled position. "You always have a home with me," she says, dipping her head. "And, I miss you sometimes."

"I miss you all the time," Sokka says, his voice quiet. "It was you and me, and Gran-Gran, and now it's you and me and the world." She shuffles closer, their arms pressing together. He huffs, leaning into her.

"Tell me a story," Katara says after they've been quiet for a few minutes like she used to when they were children.

Sokka nods slowly, before beginning. "There once was nothing but ocean, no life but the sea and all her creatures, but the stars looked down and saw a small creature bobbing in the waves…"

***

Sokka blinks sleep from his eyes, the sudden rush of cool air waking him almost immediately. He furrows his brow, tracking the figure pacing across the room, the tiny fires dancing across their hands. "Zuko?" He croaks, his throat dry. The figure pauses, turning slowly to look at Sokka, their fire cupped in their hands, their face gently becoming illuminated.

"Oh," Zuko says quietly after a beat. "I didn't realize this was your room."

Beside him, Suki pushes herself up, her face already unimpressed. "You didn't realize?" Zuko freezes, a strange look flashing over his face before he turns to go. Before Sokka fully processes what is happening, Suki has launched herself up, landing neatly in Zuko's path. "I don't think so," Suki says, bringing her hands up to push him towards their bed. "Sit down before you decide to do something stupid."

Zuko huffs at her, the fire on his palm growing, before he relaxes, letting himself be shoved onto the bed. Sokka rubs his eyes, clearing the last bits of sleep from his brain, and pulls himself out from under the covers. "What's going on?" He asks, quietly, settling in next to Zuko. He tips his head against his shoulder, unable to ignore the warmth the fire bender gives off. He doesn't look but he knows Suki is sitting on his other side.

Zuko tenses for a moment, before physically forcing himself to relax. "Azula," he says, finally, after so much time has passed that Sokka had almost forgotten his question. "I don't know what to do with Azula."

"Ah," Sokka says, his voice faint. He had somehow forgotten, or more like willfully ignored, the fact that Azula was Zuko's baby sister. He couldn't imagine trying to untangle the threads - it made his heart hurt to even contemplate him and Katara in the same position.

Suki clears her throat, softly. "What can you do?" She asks, her voice free of pity. "Logistically, I mean." Zuko shifts next to them, fidgeting for a beat. Suki sighs, before looping her arm with his and pulling him backward. "Shh," she chides, when he pulls back, her strength winning out as she lightly drags him up the sheets. "Lie down with us."

Zuko shoots Sokka a panicked look but Sokka shrugs, his face fond. "I just do what she tells me," he confides in a low voice as he slots himself in next to Zuko. "She doesn't get as mad at me when I follow her lead."

"Oh please," Suki says, tugging the rumpled sheets over their three bodies. "You almost never listen."

"I do when it counts," Sokka says, flashing a wink at her, and grinning at the look of shock Zuko gives him. Sokka rolls his eyes, reaching across his body to take Suki's hand, the fingers tangling together above Zuko's heart. Zuko tenses again, his body becoming stiff. "C'mon," Sokka says, curling deeper into him, and burying his face into the curve of his shoulder. "It's just Suki and I," he says. "You've seen us snuggle with others before."

"I- yes," Zuko says, a little lost. "But- not me?"

"Oversight on our part," Suki says, peeking up at him through her lashes. "We meant to ages ago." She pauses, her face becoming a little bit stiffer. "Unless of course we overstepped-"

"No!" Zuko says, the word bursting out of him and tearing through the small bit of pride he was clinging to. He sighs, relaxing and scooping an arm around each of them, a wordless apology for his standoffishness earlier. "I'm just- wound up," he settles on, gazing down at Suki. "There's so much to do and I just, I don't know."

Suki shrugs at him. "It's no worries," she says. "We both know how to carry weights, so just, don't shut us out."

"I wasn't trying to," Zuko says softly, closing his eyes. His lips curl up when he feels Suki hum against him and get closer. "Sometimes I miss the earlier days when we were trying to save the world."

Sokka twists, bringing his leg over Zuko's and ignoring the way Zuko jerks. "It was a simpler thing," he says, his voice muffled by Zuko's shoulder. "We had a real concrete goal then."

"I- yeah," Zuko says, sagging in relief. "I knew we had to do it or die trying. And now, I have decisions to make and people to help and war efforts to end."

Sokka shrugs next to him, the rise of his shoulders bumping into Zuko's ribs in a way that shouldn't be unsettling but is. Zuko shudders slightly beside him, which Sokka ignores. "I mean, I think that becoming an adult was always going to turn out like this."

"What?" Suki and Zuko say together, both of them looking at Sokka.  


He shrugs again, turning to peek at both of them. "Like yes, this is all far more dramatic and stuff but I think that becoming an adult is-" He pauses, propping his chin on Zuko's chest, the line of his throat pressed against his ribs. Zuko very careful doesn't let himself pay too much attention to the way his small action makes him feels, ignoring both the flush of pleasure and the comfort of having him close. Sokka continues, unaware of what he's doing to Zuko. "I think growing up is always about how priorities expand." He takes a deep breath and then looks directly at Zuko. "If Aang hadn't shown up, if this hadn't happened, I would've gone and fought the Fire Nation." Beside Zuko, Suki stops breathing, her silence the clear sign of her surprise. Sokka bites his lip, looking faintly regretful. "I probably would've died, and it would've been okay because I was dying for the world, for the good of it. But, if you had asked me before, when I was younger, right after my mom-" He quiets for a moment, neither Suki nor Zuko moving. "I would've done it for my family. But, growing up, it's like, the expansion of that, if that makes sense?" He finishes quietly, blushing faintly in silver moonlight.

Zuko blinks at him, unable to comprehend a world where that happened. Suki lifts their entwined hands and brushes a kiss across the back of Sokka's. "Well, thank Aang for this world then," she says lowly.

Zuko nods. "Any world that I don't know you is a world wasted," he finally settles on, ignoring the rush of blood to his ears and the twisting in his stomach.

"Thanks," Sokka says, looking pleased. "Any world where this doesn't happen sucks."

***

After that night, Zuko occasionally stops in, sitting with them late into the night, until his brain quiets and he can go to bed. On the rare nights that it doesn't happen, that his brain won't shut up, the three of them will bundle up under the covers, curling into each other, linked together.

Zuko only realizes he has a problem when he wakes one morning and his uncle is standing at the foot of their bed, one eyebrow raised. He just barely resists flinching back, his years of training rushing to the forefront of his brain before not a threat breaks through.

"Prince Zuko," Uncle Iroh says, a strange catch in his voice. "I have been looking for you."

"Whuzzit?" Sokka slurs, twisting from where he was lying, halfheartedly rising. He squints in Uncles direction for a beat before offering him a thumbs up and sliding back into bed. On the other side of Zuko, Suki sits, her lips pressed together. Zuko can't tell if she's angry or trying not to laugh.

"I'll just- I'll be a moment," Zuko says, offering Uncle a nod. Uncle nods back, his face still a little off. He turns and leaves though, so Zuko is counting it as a win. He looks at Sokka, attempting to tug the sheets from him to disentangle himself.

"Hey," Suki says softly, her hand pressing into his shoulder. Zuko stills. "I'll slide out and then you can get out," she says. He nods jerkily, suddenly uncertain in the face of his uncle. Agni save him, but he hadn't thought any of this through. "Zuko," Suki says softly. "Are you okay?"

He nods once, sliding from their warmth and standing. "I'll try to -" He cuts himself off, turns from the two of them, and leaves. He shuts the door behind himself gently, refusing to sag against the worn wood, even as his entire body screams at him to go back.

He heads for his room instead, knowing that whatever Uncle wishes to speak with him about will be best spoken about in privacy. He slips through the doors, fighting the urge to turn and run, both due to Uncle and the residual feelings the Fire Lords private room brought up. He squares his shoulders, turning to face Uncle.

Uncle sighs, a long, low exhale before patting the cushion next to him. Zuko tilts his head in brief accordance but slides onto the seat across from him, his brow already furrowed. They sit for a moment, the steam of the tea filling the air before Uncle finally moves, his hands reaching for his cup, a gentle smile on his face.

"How often," he begins, clearing his throat. "How often do you find yourself with them, Prince Zuko?"

"Please," Zuko says, waving his hand at him. "Just Zuko, here, please." Uncle nods, an unnamed emotion slipping across his face. Zuko sighs, gripping his cup tightly, ignoring the flash of heat against his fingers. "I- they help," he admits, his shoulders slumping as he drops his gaze, hiding his eyes - the truth from Uncle. "Sometimes it can get a bit much."

"Hmm," Uncle says, his tone even.

Zuko refuses to flinch, keeping his eyes averted. The room falls quiet for a long moment, the only sign of time passing the shifting of the sun against the walls. "Uncle," Zuko finally whispers, his face still covered. "I'm afraid."

"Oh, my son," Uncle says after a beat, his voice low and sorrowful. "Love is nothing to be afraid of."

Zuko doesn't move, words stuck in his throat. Most of the love he had ever known had ended in fire and loss, in sharp smirks and angry eyes. He swallows after a beat, raising his head, and meeting Uncle's eyes. Uncle smiles at him, the same smile that had kept him on track for all of his banishment. Zuko pauses but slowly lets his mouth curve up in return.

***

Once Zuko recognizes what's happening he pulls back, suddenly sure that he's ruining everything.

The third time that Sokka makes eye contact with him, only for Zuko to turn and run the other way as fast as he is able, he sighs, letting his shoulders slump as he goes to find Suki. She's in the courtyard, watching her trainees scale the walls of the palace.

He sits under the tree next to the pond, his gaze on the turtleducks even as his focus remains on Zuko. He just doesn't understand what he did, what scared Zuko off. He bites his lip, reaching back to trail a finger over his new boomerang as a pit in his stomach deepens. Had Zuko found out about him and Suki and is so disgusted that he didn't want to be friends?

Sokka blinks, tilting his head back as he feels Suki come up behind him. She bends down, brushing a kiss across his forehead as he leans further back against her legs. "What's the matter?" she asks quietly, her face only showing minimal concern.

Sokka blinks at her again before shaking his head against her legs. "Not here," he says, his eyes catching to some of the women lingering in the courtyard, their curious gazes obvious.

Suki nods, stepping back and waiting for him to rise before she spins sharply about, pinning the girls with her glare. "If you have time to gossip," she says, her voice even. "You have time to run laps of the palace." She raises a hand at the beginnings of their groans. "Three laps and then you're released from training for the day," she says before pointing towards the exit to the outer palace wall. "Go."

The three of them exchange a look but go, leaving Sokka and Suki alone in the pavilion. "C'mon," Suki says, her gaze still watchful. "Let's head up to our room."

***

When Sokka finishes telling Suki what had been happening to him, she smiles, a tiny fleeting thing before nodding. "I know what to do," she says as she stands from the bed, absentmindedly looping her fans to her belt. She bends down, kisses Sokka's confused face and pauses, their foreheads resting against each other. "If you thought you were intruding, would you run?" She asks, her voice quiet. She pulls back a tiny bit to slot her mouth against his for another quick kiss before standing straight. "I'll be back," she says, watching the emotions flicker through Sokka's face. "I'll be back with him."

***

Zuko flicks his eyes up at the soft knock, casting his gaze out the window and taking in the setting sun. He frowns, but quietly bids the knocker to enter. When Suki slides in, he bites back a curse, beginning to gather his stuff as he searches for an excuse to get out.

Suki latches and locks the door behind her, shaking her head. "I don't think so," she says, pinning Zuko in place with her stare. "We've got some things to talk about." Zuko shifts in his seat, setting down the papers down in front of him and grimacing. Suki watches him for a long moment before sighing. "How long have you been in love with him?" She asks gently, before sighing again. "How long have you been in love with us?"

***

Upstairs, Sokka stands, pacing in front of the fireplace. He fidgets, tugging on his clothes, brushing a hand over the familiar blue of the water tribe. He pauses, frowning, thinking over the build of them, thinking about how it had turned and stopped and spluttered and somehow still continued. He stares at their bed, the one he had begun thinking of as theirs - all three of them.

He stills completely before he whirls around.

He runs.

***

Zuko stares at her, his face paling. "I meant no harm," he says, his voice firm. "As soon as I realized what I was doing, I backed off." He drops his gaze to the paperwork in front of him. "I apologize for any inconvenience- it wasn't- it isn't, fair of me." Suki opens her mouth and Zuko raises a hand. "Please," he says. "Just-"

The door flies open.

***

Sokka stands in the doorway panting. He comes into the room, gently shutting the door behind him and scooping up Suki's hand, dragging her over to Zuko's desk.

"We're in love with you," Suki says quietly. "That's why I came down here. That's why I asked."

Zuko blinks at her, turning stunned eyes to Sokka. He shrugs, quirking his mouth up in a half-smile. "I think I liked you even when you were trying to kill me."

"Oh," Zuko says. The room falls silent for a moment before he raises his eyes back up to them, clearly steeling himself for something. "I'm in love with you two too."

***

It's at the beginning of the reconstruction when Sokka realizes what he really wants to do.

"I'm so glad you stayed," Zuko says, a warm line against his back. "If you hadn't-" He breaks off, laughing underneath his breath. "Well, you know."

Suki rolls over in their bed, her eyes still shut. "I'm glad we were able to figure it out with minimal issues."

Sokka and Zuko exchange fond glances, their love clear in their eyes. Sokka tilts his head back, brushing a kiss over Zuko's mouth. "I'm glad I stayed too." He says, his eyes bright in the moonlight of their room. "Family is everything to me."

**Author's Note:**

> first ATLA fic ever! I rewatched the series when it got added to Netflix and then this has been bouncing around in my head ever since.
> 
> hope y'all enjoyed!


End file.
